Blackroot (Veronicastrum sibiricum)

Taxonomy and growth

Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Veronicastrum
Life cycle: perennial
Height: 0.75 m
Flower type: hermaphrodite

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

The root is antimicrobial and hepatic^[4]. It is used in Korea in the treatment of the common cold and as a liver tonic^[4].

Environment

Range: E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, Siberia.
Habitat: Grassy areas in mountains and lowlands^[4]. Trailsides, grassy slopes and thickets at elevatins below 2500 metres in northern China^[3].
Light: full sun
Shade tolerance: light shade
Water: moderate
Hardiness: Zone 6+
Soil textures: sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH: acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil: No
Drought: intolerant

Propagation

Seed - sow autumn in a cold frame^[2]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient quantity the seed can be sown outdoors in situ in the autumn or the spring. Division in autumn or spring^[2]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.

Cultivation

Easily grown in a moderately fertile moisture retentive well drained soil^[2]. Prefers cool summers^[2]. Prefers a sunny position^[1].

Veronicastrum axillare
Veronicastrum virginicumBeaumont's Root
Agalinis tenuifoliaSlenderleaf False Foxglove
Antirrhinum majusSnapdragon

References

Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
↩
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
↩1 ↩2 ↩3 ↩4
Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Flora of China
↩
Medicinal Plants in the Republic of Korea World Health Organisation, Manila 1998-00-00 ISBN 92 9061 120 0
↩1 ↩2 ↩3